


Moving In, Moving On

by lilbluednacer



Series: Fear of Falling [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dance, Alternate Universe - Human, F/M, Fluff, the first sequel of Don't Look Down, which is now a series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-07-23 13:49:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16160186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilbluednacer/pseuds/lilbluednacer
Summary: It's been two weeks since Lydia graduated from the Hale School of Ballet and for the first time in her life that she can remember she feels secure.She's happy.





	Moving In, Moving On

**Author's Note:**

> Well, Don't Look Down is officially continuing, welcome to the Fear of Falling series everyone! I'm sticking to one shots for now because I'm also working on new longer Stydia fics (yay!) but it's possible I'll write a proper multi-chap follow up for this at some point down the line. I will be continuing to link outfit sets for this series because I'm trash for a fashion moment. I have a general idea of what I'd like to cover here but suggestions are welcome! I've missed you all and I really hope you enjoy this first little sequel <3 - Trace

“I did it!” Stiles crows, punching his fist into the air. “Say it. Say I'm a genius.”

[Lydia](https://www.fashmates.com/set/lydia-20-1538340253245) swallows back a giggle. “I wouldn't say your ability to put together a bookshelf from Ikea makes you a _genius_.”

Stiles gapes at her, gesturing at the blond wood bookshelf as tall as himself, standing perfectly symmetrically against the wall of her new bedroom in Cora's apartment next to a large window. It's the only piece of furniture for now, her dresser and nightstand are still unassembled and there's an air mattress in the middle of the dusty rose colored rug spread over the floor, her new queen sized bed isn't getting delivered until tomorrow. 

“Look at this craftsmanship!” Stiles shouts excitedly. “Five shelves, Lydia! I did that!”

Lydia looks him up and down. His hair is a mess, there's a streak of dust across his grey tee shirt and his hands are grimy after hours of helping her bring her boxes into the apartment and putting together a bookshelf all by himself while she organized her closet and hung the Degas print he got her for her birthday, now matted in a shiny silver frame hanging on the wall next to a photo of all the level eights onstage at the end of the showcase, clutching their flowers and smiling.

She loops her arms around his neck and gives him a well deserved kiss. “Okay, you're right. You're a prince among men.”

“You're damn right,” he mutters, and kisses her back, laughing when she swats his dirty hands away from her hair.

It's been two weeks since they graduated, two weeks filled with trips to the beach with Scott and Allison, kissing all over Beacon Hills, long drives in the Jeep. Lydia feels like she's in a dream and she never wants to wake up. For the first time in her life that she can remember she feels secure; her career is about to begin, she's in a relationship that makes her feel like she's glowing inside, she gets to see her friends every day. 

She's happy.

“Hey.” [Malia](https://www.fashmates.com/set/malia-20-1538340285746) knocks on the doorframe. “We're gonna order a pizza, what do you guys want?”

Lydia regretfully pulls away from him and turns around to face Malia, leaning back against Stiles’ chest. “I'm fine with cheese.”

Malia makes a face. “Okay boring. Stiles, pepperoni?”

He bends down to kiss Lydia’s bare shoulder. “Sure.”

“How's your room going?” Lydia asks her.

Malia shrugs. “In progress. Wanna see?”

Malia's bedroom is right across from Lydia's, they share a bathroom at the end of the hall and Cora has Laura’s old bedroom on the other side of the apartment. Isaac is sitting in the middle of the floor in Malia's room dressed in only a pair of basketball shorts that must have once been Derek's because they're so baggy he's rolled the waistband over twice, pulling pairs of shoes out of a cardboard box. He's surrounded by piles of clothes, the only thing that's been put together is a full sized bed frame but no mattress yet, pushed against one wall, a fan whirring on the floor in one corner.

Lydia leans against the doorway and raises an eyebrow at Isaac. “What did she give you to get you to do all the hard work for her?”

“Hey!” Malia crosses her arms across her chest. “I helped!”

Isaac snorts. “You untaped the boxes and then took a stress nap on the floor while I put together the bed.”

“Moving is stressful!” Malia argues. “I should know, I've done it like a million times.”

“Anyway, I get free pizza, that was the deal” Isaac continues. “Anyone know where Cora went?”

“Motherfucker!” Cora’s voice echoes down the hall from the living room. “Goddamn piece of shit!”

Lydia shoots Malia a concerned glance and runs out of the bedroom, Isaac jumps up and follows the rest of them down the hall until it opens up into a large living room, the kitchen off to the left near the front entrance of the apartment. There's a huge grey suede sectional on the far side of the room that faces the massive entertainment unit against the opposite wall and [Cora](https://www.fashmates.com/set/cora-20-1538340341916) is splayed out on the floor face down, screaming into a cream and blue patterned throw pillow, the flat screen tv displaying a fuzzy blue screen, _no function_ flashing in big block letters.

“Dude, did you break the tv?” Malia asks, and ducks when Cora whips the pillow at her.

“I can't do it,” Cora moans. “I give up. I've been taken down by a cable box.”

“Let me take a look,” Stiles offers, and walks around her prone body over to the tv. “Gimme a few minutes, I bet I can I figure this out.”

Cora rolls over onto her side and peeks at him through the curtain of her hair. “Seriously?”

Stiles is twisted around to check out the back of the tv. “Yeah, yeah, don't worry. I'm just gonna mess around with it, check your wires. You probably just plugged something in wrong, we’ll figure it out.”

Cora flops back over onto her stomach. “Lydia, I'm stealing your boyfriend.”

Lydia smirks and leans up against Isaac, who slings a casual arm around her shoulders. “I'm willing to rent him out for electronic related emergencies.”

“I appreciate your generosity.” Cora snorts and twists to the side to stretch, her back cracking loudly. “I'm starving, I thought we were getting pizza?”

“On it.” Malia pulls her phone out of the back pocket of her distressed denim shorts and wanders off towards the kitchen.

“I still think you're crazy for moving in with them,” Isaac whispers to Lydia. “It's gonna be drama twenty-four seven.”

“I can handle some drama.” Lydia watches Stiles across the room as he yanks out a bunch of cords from the tv and examines them one by one. “I'm not paying rent, I think it's a fair trade off.”

Isaac grins. “You poor innocent thing, you have no idea what you're signing up for, do you?”

Lydia rolls her eyes. “You underestimate me, sweetheart.”

Isaac pointedly looks across the room where Cora's sidled up next to Stiles, who's holding a bunch of cords out to her and saying something that makes her laugh and brush his arm with her fingers. “You might want to be careful there.”

Lydia glances up at him. “Seriously?”

“Kitty’s got sharp claws,” Isaac murmurs.

Stiles plugs something back into the tv and they all jump as the volume comes on, Cora whoops and kisses Stiles on the cheek before throwing her arms in the air triumphantly.

“I'll keep that in mind,” Lydia whispers, but then Stiles glances across the room to her, his face lighting up, and Lydia smiles because Stiles doesn't look at anyone like that, except for her.

When the pizzas come they set up in the living room with a stack of paper plates, a movie playing on the tv with the volume turned down low so they can talk over it. Lydia sits in between Stiles and Malia on the couch, Cora passes around plastic cups of water while Isaac doles out pizza slices onto plates and passes them out. Lydia takes hers and leans up against Stiles’ side, smiling up at him when he slides his right arm over her shoulders. He bends down to sneak a kiss and Lydia balances her plate on her thighs as she twists up to kiss him back.

“Okay, we get in, you're in love, must you do that while we're eating?” Cora leans across Malia's lap to poke Lydia in the thigh with her bare toes.

Stiles laughs against Lydia's mouth and kisses her one more time before pulling away. “Sorry,” he says cheerfully. “The living room is a no-kissing zone, got it.”

“Thanks you.” Cora takes a big bite of pizza and flashes them a smile, lips covered in sauce. 

“Wait, no kissing ever?” Malia gives Cora a doubtful look. “What about parties?”

“Addendum,” Lydia says.

“Proceed.” Cora leans back against Isaac, who's perched on the arm of the couch with a slice of pizza halfway to his mouth.

“Kissing may be allowed in the living room in the occurrence of a party, celebration, group gathering where other couples are present, or generally any activity outside of meals within reason,” Lydia suggests.

Cora blinks at her and shakes her head. “You should've gone to law school.”

Lydia grins. “Still could one day.”

“Alright, new rule, everyone shut up and eat.” Isaac folds the rest of his first slice into his mouth and ruffles Cora's hair affectionately.

“You don't get to make house rules, you don't even live here!” Malia says indignantly.

“I do so much shit for you, I should get something,” Isaac argues. “I call squatters rights!”

“That's not a thing!” Malia cries. “Lydia, tell him that's not a thing.”

“I guess that would depend on whether or not he's squatting,” Lydia says diplomatically.

“How about, I did ninety percent of unpacking for you, I've earned the right to eat in peace?” Isaac suggests.

Lydia raises an eyebrow at Malia. “He may have a point there.”

“Fine, shutting up now.” Malia holds her slice of pizza up before taking a ferocious bite.

_Told you,_ Isaac mouths at Lydia over Cora and Malia's heads, and she shrugs, grinning, before picking up one of the two pizza slices Isaac put on her plate.

She takes a big bite and reaches out to snag a napkin from the stack on the coffee table, wiping the grease from her fingers as she chews. The pizza’s good and she's starving from spending the whole day moving in, she eats while snuggled under Stiles’ arm, half-watching the movie along with everyone else. When she starts on her second slice Stiles glances down at her, a look on his face she can't quite interpret, and Lydia freezes, pizza slice halfway to her lips, and mouths, _what?_

“Nothing,” he whispers, and smiles a little before taking another bite of pizza.

The light is coming in from the tall windows that face west, towards the bay, the sun is setting and everything is washed in gold. Laura's apartment really is beautiful, with its high ceilings and elegant simple furniture, and it feels right somehow, to be here, living where her idol walked these floors every day. Lydia fits here, with Malia and Cora, not the way she fits with Allison of course, she’ll never fit together with another girl like that but it's okay, she's accepted that they're moving on, that their friendship can withstand being a little separated. 

They're moving on, they're growing up. And it hurts a little but she knows that's part of it too, she isn't so afraid of it anymore. She can't be, when she's surrounded by a pack of people who all love each other, have fought and bled for this, the chance to grow up, to follow their dreams, who've become a little family along the way.

She's where she belongs.

Lydia tugs on the front of Stiles’ shirt and when he glances down at her, one eyebrow raised, she arches up and kisses him. He kisses her back, soft lips that taste like pizza sauce, and Lydia reaches down to catch her plate before it slide right off her lap as she surrenders her mouth to his.

“Hey, hey, I saw that, that is explicitly breaking the rules!” Cora leans across Malia to whack Stiles in the head with a throw pillow.

Lydia shrieks as their heads get knocked apart and her plate flips over, the second slice of pizza falling cheese side down onto her lap. She stares down at it in shock before looking up at Cora, who lunges behind Malia and holds her against her chest like a human shield while Malia flails. Lydia picks up the pizza slice, puts it back on her plate and blots the sauce off the shorts of her romper with a napkin while everyone watches silently.

“Stiles,” Lydia says calmly, crumpling up the napkin and moving her plate to the coffee table. “Give me the pillow.”

“No,” Cora squeals, laughing. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry!”

“Oh you better be!” Lydia shouts, and within seconds all five of them are tumbling around on the couch, the pizza forgotten.

They end up spending their first night in Laura's old apartment having a pillow fight that turns into a group sleepover in the living room, Lydia and Stiles on her air mattress, Cora and Malia on the couch and Isaac curled up on the cream colored loveseat under the window, one long leg dangling over the edge. 

Lydia stretches out next to Stiles and reaches up to trace his face in the dark, her finger skimming down his nose and over his lips. He snaps his teeth, gently catching the tip of her finger in his mouth, and Lydia lets out a surprised giggle before snatching it away, laughing when he laps at the edge of her hand with his tongue.

“New rule,” Cora says sleepily from the couch. “No one fucks in the living room.”

“Deal,” Lydia calls out, and tucks her body up against Stiles.

“What about your room,” he whispers in her ear, his hand sliding up her bare thigh. “We can fuck in your room, right?”

“Oh _honey_ ,” she murmurs, and she can almost taste it, the sweet heady rush of his body inside hers. “Just you wait.”


End file.
